Day 1: Amsterdam, Holland (embarkation)
Welcome to Holland. Your Suite Ship is Ready for Boarding. Flights into Amsterdam must arrive by 3:30 pm.
Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm.
Your day in Amsterdam is free to explore at your leisure. During tulip season, you may take a Guided Optional Excursion to Keukenhof gardens—with more than seven million tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths, as well as other bulbs, planted each year. Outside of tulip season, join a Guided Optional Excursion to Zaanse Schans to see historic windmills and charming Dutch houses
Meals included: Dinner
Overnight docking in Amsterdam
Day 2: Amsterdam - Canals of colourful Amsterdam
- Classic: Explore the iconic waterways of Amsterdam on a Guided Canal Cruise past stately homes of Amsterdam’s “Golden Age.”
You may like to join a Guided Optional Excursion to Muiderslot Castle, or a Guided Optional Biking Excursion to the Dutch countryside. Take some free time to explore Amsterdam’s colorful streets and canal houses, galleries, and shops.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Afternoon/overnight cruise to Cologne
Day 3: Cologne, Germany - Prost! Celebrate in the Rhineland
- Classic: Take a Guided City Walk of Cologne—with its soaring twin-steepled gothic cathedral, OR:
- Discovery: Choose a Guided Walking Tour of Cologne’s important Jewish heritage sites.
Don’t miss the chance to enjoy free time over a glass of Kölsch pale lager—locally brewed for over 100 years! Later local musicians will join us on board for live entertainment.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight cruise to Rudesheim
Day 4: Rudesheim
Enjoy free time in Koblenz this morning before sailing through the Rhine Gorge to Rüdesheim. Sail past the legendary rock of The Lorelei—where the siren of mythology sang songs to lure ill-fated sailors.
Rudesheim - Eat, Drink, and Be Merry in Wine Country
- Discovery: Based on your departure date, enjoy either a Coffee Tasting or a Wine Tasting.
- Discovery: Take a Guided Tour of the incredible Mechanical Music Museum for a one-of-a-kind instrumental experience.
Enjoy live entertainment on board your ship this evening.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight docking in Rudesheim.
Day 5: Mainz. Excursion to Heidelberg - Printing Halls, Castle Walls, and the World’s Biggest Barrel of Wine
- Classic: Enjoy a Guided City Walk, including a visit to the Gutenberg Museum to see the captivating
history of printing, OR:
- Classic: Enjoy a Guided Tour to Heidelberg Castle to see the ruins of the magnifi cent renaissance treasure towering above the city, and its famed Great Vat, the “World’s Largest Wine Barrel,” OR:
- Active: Join your Avalon Adventure Host for a Hike up Philosophers’ Way for an inspiring view of the city below.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Evening/overnight cruise to Strasbourg
Day 6: Strasbourg, France - Gothic Giants, Petite France, and Varietal Vintages
- Classic: Join a City Sightseeing Tour, including Strasbourg’s s gothic, stained-glass cathedral with its celebrated ancient murals and astronomical clock, as well as the magical La Petite France District.
You may choose to join a Guided Optional Excursion to the splendid Alsace wine country, or a Guided Optional Excursion to visit the charming village of Colmar, with its half-timbered medieval and early renaissance buildings. Alternatively, enjoy a free afternoon sampling the local cuisine in Place Kléber.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Evening/overnight cruise to Breisach
Day 7: Breisach, Germany. Excursion to Black Forest - History, Artistry, and the Beautiful Black Forest
- Discovery: Visit to Badische Winzerkeller, the largest German wine producer in Europe. Discover
Germany’s southernmost wine country in Baden and learn about the vintners’ process in the vineyards here, and enjoy a wine tasting, OR:
- Discovery: Join a full-day Guided Tour to the magical Black Forest to experience the Vogtsbauernhof openair-museum, visit an authentic water mill, and see a traditional butter-making demonstration.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Evening/overnight cruise to Basel.
Day 8: Basel, Switzerland (disembarkation)
Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning.
Meals included: Breakfast
Flights should not leave Zürich airport before 10 am.
This itinerary is also available from Amsterdam to Basel - reverse course -
In the event of technical or water level issues, it may be necessary to operate the itinerary by motorcoach or alter the program, including hotel overnight when necessary. Guided Tours, Optional Excursions, activities, sailing and docking schedules may be contingent on weather conditions or other issues outside of our control and could therefore be subject to change at any time. Please check visa requirements with your local consulate(s); responsibility for obtaining visas rests with the traveler.
